


can i call you tonight?

by captainegg



Category: Red White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston
Genre: Alex is a lawyer, Alternate Universe, Cheesy, Falling In Love, Flirting, Hand Jobs, Henry is a children's book author and illustrator, M/M, Phone Calls & Telephones, Phone Sex, Romantic Comedy, Sort Of, Take a sip of water every time they say "fuck", Texting, The Holiday AU, house exchange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-14 05:22:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29537457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainegg/pseuds/captainegg
Summary: Falling in love with someone who lives an ocean away is weird. Especially if you are staying at their house and they stay at yours.orAlex and Henry swap houses and fall in love in the process.
Relationships: Alex Claremont-Diaz/Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor
Comments: 68
Kudos: 138





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> If there is one thing you need to know about me then it's the fact that I absolutely adore The Holiday. So when Evie came up with this idea, I just knew I had to write it 👀
> 
> Thank you to [everwitch](https://archiveofourown.org/users/everwitch/pseuds/everwitch) for beta reading and letting me borrow your idea 🧡
> 
> This fic is completed and will be updated throughout the next few days.

Alex Claremont-Diaz has had a terrible week, miserable even. 

Not only did he lose a case he has been working on incredibly hard and has lost countless hours of sleep he will never get back, but his ex-boyfriend has also announced his engagement to the very person he cheated on Alex with. 

Alex stuffs his phone and laptop into his backpack and makes his way out of the office as quickly as he can. It’s cold and cloudy in New York and a cold breeze ruffles through Alex’s curls, making him shiver and pull his scarf even tighter around his neck. The air is heavy with the smell of hot dogs and coffee.

Catching a cab, Alex makes his way home and at this point, he’s just sick of being in New York. It’s the city he has lived in since he was a teenager after his mother got into congress, the city where he went to college and law school, the city where he got engaged to a man who cheated on him, the city in which he bought a stupidly large apartment to fill out the void left by not being with his family in Texas.

June has offered to pick him up on her way to Texas for the holidays but Alex was too busy with work to even send her a reply. He feels awful about it, he truly does but he still can’t bring himself to answer her.

He turns on the coffee machine and switches his suit for something more comfortable, the grinding of the coffee beans and the whistling of hot water filling the apartment with noise.

Alex’s cat watches him from where she lays in the middle of his bed. With her black and white fur, Ruth (named after Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg) looks a little like she too is wearing a suit.

Alex returns to the kitchen, Ruth trailing behind him and circling his legs as Alex leans against the counter and curls his clammy hands around his coffee cup. Snow begins to fall outside his large windows in big flakes.

He pads over to the sofa and grabs his laptop from his bag, slumping down against the soft pillows and turning his laptop on. Ruth jumps up and curls herself into a doughnut by his side. Alex mindlessly runs his fingers through her fur as he waits for his laptop to start.

He’s watching Great British Bake Off and answering emails when a new one pops up in his inbox. 

**From:** h.fox@gmail.com **  
** **Subject:** Home Exchange **  
** **To:** agcd1998@gmail.com

_Good evening,_

_I hope this is not weird or anything but I saw that your place is up for a home exchange and I desperately need to flee the country this holiday. I hope this isn’t too short of notice or that you are some weirdo who wants to lure me to their home to murder me but even that would be fine with me. I messaged you on the website but it said you haven’t been online for a while so I decided to try my luck this way. You could be a true lifesaver._

_Holding out for a hero,_  
_H. Fox_

Alex reads the email twice before it clicks. He vaguely remembers him and Nora putting his apartment up to the HomeExchange website last year, but up to now no one ever responded. He had completely forgotten about it. 

He thinks about it for a moment, composing a mental list of reasons why he shouldn’t reply to this mail. 

1) He doesn’t know this person and the thought of someone staying in his space without Alex being there feels wrong, even though he has no problem letting Nora or June crash at his place whenever he’s out of town and god knows what they get up to every time.

2) He wouldn’t be in town for Christmas.

The list of reasons why he should reply is coming together a lot easier.

1) _He wouldn’t be in town for Christmas._ He has no idea where that stranger is from but wherever it is, Alex has a great excuse for not being with his family in Texas. They will be happy to hear that he is not drowning in work for once but instead taking some time off.

2) Alex has been eager to get out of his apartment for at least six months, sick of seeing the same white walls every day and looking down on the never-changing busy streets of New York.

3) Getting a goddamn break for once.

4) Being as far away from Hunter as humanly possible to avoid any news about how their wedding planning is going.

5) All of the above.

Alex opens a new tab in his browser and opens the HomeExchange website. He flies over the message sent to him on there by h.foxy which is essentially the same as the email Alex has open in another browser. Next to Henry’s username is a small green circle that’s staring at Alex, impatiently waiting for him to reply.

He opens h.foxy’s profile and skims over the little information sidebar.

 **Name:** Henry **  
** **Age:** 29 **  
** **Location:** United Kingdom  
non-smoker | pet owner

The rest of his profile is filled with pictures of his place and information about it. It’s a small house with poison ivy climbing up to the roof and around the sides, a cobblestone pathway, a large green lawn in the back with fruit trees and a small river running across it. The inside looks equally as cosy with bookshelves covering most of the walls, a sage green kitchen with antique-looking appliances, a large bed with a mustard comforter draped across it, a brass bathtub, and a dog sleeping on the sofa in front of the open fireplace.

He goes back to the chat and stares at Henry’s message for another moment before he begins typing.

 **barracuda98** _  
_ (5:09 pm) Hey, this is Alex. I just got your mail. And damn, I almost forgot I had my house listed on here. Where in the UK are you exactly?

 **h.foxy** **  
** (5:09 pm) Just outside of London in a very small town. Blink and you’ll miss it.  
(5:09 pm) And I apologize if my mail was a little too desperate or uncalled for. I just really need to get out of the country or I might get mad.

 **barracuda98** **  
** (5:10 pm) Sounds serious. Fleeing the family?

 **h.foxy** **  
** (5:11 pm) Something like that, yes.

 **barracuda98** **  
** (5:11 pm) I understand, trust me. Holidays with my family never go smoothly.  
(5:11 pm) When would you like to do this? Because fucking hell, I too need to get out of this place before my family comes up to NYC and decides to kidnap me, haha.

 **h.foxy** **  
** (5:13 pm) As soon as possible?

 **barracuda98** **  
** (5:13 pm) Friday?

 **h.foxy** **  
** (5:14 pm) Friday sounds absolutely perfect.

 **barracuda98** **  
** (5:14 pm) Then Friday it is. By the way, what’s your dog’s name? He looks adorable, can’t wait to meet him (and you, sort of).

 **h.foxy** **  
** (5:14 pm) David.

 **barracuda98** **  
** (5:15 pm) Seriously? How boring.

 **h.foxy** **  
** (5:15 pm) David after David Bowie.

 **barracuda98** **  
** (5:15 pm) Still lame.

 **h.foxy** **  
** (5:16 pm) What’s your cat called then, Mr I-Judge-Other’s-Pet-Names?

 **barracuda98** **  
** (5:16 pm) Ruth.  
(5:16 pm) After Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

 **h.foxy** **  
** (5:17 pm) Bloody hell.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for all the comments and love on the first chapter. Reading and replying to y'all really made my day 🧡
> 
> There is smut in this chapter but if that's not up your alley, here are the parts to skip:  
> > Thursday: 6:17 pm to 6:35 pm  
> > Sunday: everything after Henry's 6 pm message but it really starts when Alex talks about Henry's tie

Friday

**Alex** **  
**(2:21 pm) Your place is a lot smaller than it looked in the pictures.

 **Henry** **  
**(2:21 pm) Is that what all the girls tell you on the first date?

 **Alex** **  
**(2:21 pm) First of all, it’s girls and boys, actually.  
(2:21 pm) And secondly, fuck you.  
(2:22 pm) [a selfie of Alex with David on the bed surrounded by Alex’s clothing, electronics, toiletries and journals; Alex holds up a peace sign and grins at the camera]  
(2:22 pm) I think he likes me.

 **Henry** **  
**(2:22 pm) Consider yourself lucky. He normally growls at pretty people.  
(2:22 pm) [image of Ruth sleeping in Henry’s empty suitcase]  
(2:23 pm) Does that mean she likes me?

Alex’s brain shuts down temporarily because Henry just called him pretty. It was probably only a joke but Alex has never been good with compliments of any kind. He knows that he looks good. He puts a lot of time and effort and money into it, after all. But it still makes his stomach squirm weirdly.

Alex abandons his mission to sort his belongings into various wardrobes and drawers. Instead, he puts a leash on David and walks to the nearest grocery store to stock up on some food. It’s cold and windy, the freshly fallen snow crunching below the soles of Alex’s sneakers.

David happily wags his tail as they walk, stopping every now and then to sniff on some snow. Alex has never had a dog and if he’s being honest, it feels quite nice to have company when you are out and about.

 **Alex** **  
**(9:36 pm) Your heater is broken.

 **Henry** **  
**(9:36 pm) I know. Use the fireplace instead, it works just as well to get the cottage warm.

 **Alex** **  
**(9:37 pm) Do I look like I know how a fireplace works?

 **Henry** **  
**(9:37 pm) Judging by all the awards and degrees you have hanging in your living room, you have more than three brain cells and therefore should be able to figure out how to get a fire started just fine.

 **Alex** **  
**(9:38 pm) Such betrayal! And I thought we were friends.  
(9:56 pm) [image of a fire burning in the fireplace]  
(9:56 pm) I did it!

 **Henry** **  
**(10:00 pm) Congratulations?

 **Alex** **  
**(10:01 pm) You ass.

 **Henry** **  
**(10:01 pm) [kissing emoji]

Saturday

**Alex** **  
**(8:50 am) [image of David and Alex out in the snow; Alex is squatting down and has one arm wrapped around the dog; he’s grinning at the camera with his cheeks flushed red]  
(8:50 am) Fucking hell, England is cold but look out how cute David is!  
(11:12 am) [image of Henry’s office; the walls are lined with massive bookshelves and the free space on the walls are covered in childish illustrations]  
(11:12 am) Should I be worried about the number of children’s books you own? This isn’t a kink or anything, right?

 **Henry**  
(1:19 pm) Alex. I wrote those books. I’m a children’s books author and illustrator. Ever wondered why all those books have the name Henry Fox on them?

 **Alex** **  
**(1:21 pm) Whoops, my bad. And here I thought I had uncovered some super-secret of yours. Kinda disappointing, to be honest.

 **Henry** **  
**(1:23 pm) I have plenty of super-secrets, Alex. You just need to find them which is hard because they are supposed to be kept secret.

 **Alex** **  
**(1:23 pm) I like your thinking, Fox.

 **Henry** **  
**(1:25 pm) For the love of god, don’t call me that.

 **Henry** **  
**(3:48 pm) I think I just met your sister.  
(3:48 pm) She almost tackled me because she thought I was a burglar. Didn’t you tell her about you leaving the country?

 **Alex** **  
**(3:49 pm) Oh fuck.  
(3:49 pm) I’m so sorry Henry. I totally forgot to message her before I left. Whoops, my bad.

 **Henry** **  
**(3:50 pm) You better give her a notice soon. I have never heard so many profanities said by one person in under a minute.

 **Alex** **  
**(6:23 pm) I have tamed the dragon.  
(6:23 pm) I’m sorry that my sister almost drop-kicked you. She can be very protective and it’s sort of my fault, so.

 **Henry** **  
**(6:25 pm) Sort of?  
(6:25 pm) You left the country for the holidays and didn’t tell your sister after you already ghosted her. 

**Alex** **  
**(6:26 pm) [image of Alex flipping the camera off]

Sunday

**Alex** **  
**(8:15 am) [image of David in the snow]  
(8:15 am) [image of David carrying a stick double the size of him]  
(8:15 am) [image of David and Alex; Alex is grinning at the camera; David’s tongue hands goofily out of his mouth]

 **Henry** **  
**(1:29 pm) [image of Ruth sleeping on the sofa] **  
**(1:23 pm) Looks like you two are having fun.  
(1:23 pm) How have you been enjoying England so far?

 **Alex** **  
**(1:30 pm) It’s fucking cold but I like the snow.  
(1:30 pm) I grew up in Texas so snow is always something special for me. Even after years of living in New York. How are you enjoying your former colony?

 **Henry** **  
**(1:32 pm) [middle finger emoji]  
(1:32 pm) It’s full of people and always so busy, even at night. I’m not used to that but I think I’m adjusting slowly. A cab almost hit me this morning so that was fun.

 **Alex** **  
**(1:34 pm) Please don’t get yourself killed.

 **Henry** **  
**(1:35 pm) I’ll try my best.

 **Alex** **  
**(4:12 pm) [image of David sleeping in front of the fireplace]  
(4:12 pm) He has stolen my heart.

 **Henry** **  
**(4:14 pm) It’s his special power. Even my mother loves him and she doesn’t like dogs.

 **Alex** **  
**(4:14 pm) [close-up image of David’s face]  
(4:14 pm) Who could not love this face, seriously?

 **Henry** **  
**(4:15 pm) My Brother doesn’t.  
(4:15 pm) Which tells you a lot about his character, not gonna lie.

 **Alex** **  
**(4:17 pm) I don’t even know him but he already sounds like an ass. Ugh.  
(4:17 pm) How are you and Ruth doing?

 **Henry** **  
**(4:19 pm) [image of Henry cuddling with Ruth on the sofa]  
(4:19 pm) I think she likes me? I only ever took care of my sister’s cat and Ruth is the complete opposite of him. She’s an actual angel.

 **Alex** **  
**(4:20 pm) Heck yeah she is.  
(4:20 pm) And fuck you’re hot.  
(4:20 pm) I DIDN’T MEAN TO SEND THAT, OH MY GOD.  
(4:20 pm) JUST FORGET WHAT I SAID.

 **Henry** **  
**(4:21 pm) You didn’t know what I looked like before?

 **Alex** **  
**(4:22 pm) No?! It’s not like you have a giant portrait of yourself hanging above your fireplace. Which is not very British royalty of you, by the way.

 **Henry** **  
**(4:23 pm) [image of Henry in a museum; he’s standing in front of a painting portraying Napoleon and mocking his pose]  
(4:23 pm) Better?

 **Alex** **  
**(4:24 pm) Perfect.

Monday

**Henry** **  
**(2:19 am) [image of the snowy New York skyline]  
(2:19 am) I didn’t know NYC could actually look pretty.

 **Alex** **  
**(9:34 am) She’s very beautiful to me!!  
(9:34 am) [image of a teacup in the microwave]  
(9:34 am) FOR THE REVOLUTION!

 **Henry** **  
**(9:35 am) Jesus Christ, Alex.

 **Alex** **  
**(9:37 am) Take that you British scum [middle finger emoji]

 **Henry** **  
**(9:37 am) Whatever makes you happy.

 **Alex** **  
**(9:37 am) Question.

 **Henry** **  
**(9:38 am) Yes?

 **Alex** **  
**(9:38 am) Why are you awake? Isn’t it like fucking early for you right now?

 **Henry** **  
**(9:39 am) It’s 4 am so yes.  
(9:39 am) I have issues falling asleep so I decided to work a little.  
(9:39 am) [image of Henry’s laptop on the coffee table surrounded by paper, pens and cups]

 **Alex** **  
**(9:41 am) Ugh, I feel you.  
(9:41 am) I should have some lavender tea somewhere if that’s any help.

 **Henry** **  
**(9:42 am) I’m all good but thank you, Alex.  
(9:42 am) I might take a nap with Ruth later though.

 **Alex** **  
**(9:45 am) Naps for the win!  
(3:11 pm) You just received the world’s biggest package.  
(3:11 pm) [image of an enormous package in the hallway of Henry’s cottage]  
(3:11 pm) It weighs at least a ton.

 **Henry** **  
**(3:14 pm) Oh. That’s my new book. I completely forgot to reschedule the delivery. Sorry!

Tuesday

**Alex** **  
**(1:41 am) [image of Alex holding up a steaming cup of coffee]  
(1:41 am) I have zero regrets.

 **Henry** **  
**(1:43 am) I honestly have no idea how you haven’t died yet.

 **Alex** **  
**(5:01 pm) [image of Alex sitting in bed with David resting his head on Alex’s chest]  
(2:01 pm) We are bonding.

 **Henry** **  
**(5:05 pm) At least take me out for dinner before you send me bed selfies.

 **Alex** **  
**(5:06 pm) I’ve been living off of dry cereal, frozen pizza and beans. A proper dinner sounds nice.

 **Henry** **  
**(5:06 pm) Jesus Christ, Alex.

 **Alex** **  
**(5:07 pm) Your bed is very comfy, by the way.

 **Henry** **  
**(5:09 pm) I know.  
(5:09 pm) And yours is unnecessarily large.

 **Alex** **  
**(5:10 pm) It was meant for two people but the second person decided to be a cheating asshole and I haven’t had the time to buy a smaller one yet.

 **Henry** **  
**(5:11 pm) Sounds rough. Do you want to talk about it?

 **Alex** **  
**(5:11 pm) Not really. He and I were even talking about getting married and maybe adopting, you know? But then he cheated on me and now is engaged to the man he cheated on me with. And it’s even worse because we work at the same place so I have to see his stupid face almost every day.

 **Henry** **  
**(5:12 pm) That’s rough, I’m sorry.  
(5:13 pm) But if it makes you feel any better, my love life isn’t rosy either. Pretty bland, almost non-existent, actually. My sister has tried to set me up with multiple of her uni friends and they were all nice and all but it just never clicked between us.  
(2:14 pm) I don’t even know why I’m telling you this, but I just feel like I can talk to you about everything. Is that weird?

 **Alex** **  
**(5:15 pm) No, not really.  
(5:15 pm) But I feel that way too if it makes you feel any better. I guess that’s what sleeping in someone’s bed and basically living their life does. It’s like I have known you for more than a few days, if that makes sense.

 **Henry**  
(5:15 pm) Totally.

Since Alex arrived on Friday, he feels like he knows more about Henry than he knows about some of his closest friends. The house might be on the smaller side but it is overflowing with character—books stuffed in shelves and scattered in stacks all over the place, Henry’s illustrations in colourful frames on the walls, the heavily annotated and well-loved copy of Pride and Prejudice on Henry’s nightstand, the framed photos of Henry and his friends on his desk in the office.

 **Alex** **  
**(5:17 pm) I kinda wish we weren’t an ocean apart. I think hanging out with you would be so much better than hanging out at your place without you here.

Wednesday

**Henry** **  
**(1:17 am) Dear Thisbe, I wish there weren’t a wall.

 **Alex** **  
**(10:39 am) I like it when you talk English Lit Major to me [kissing emoji]

 **Henry** **  
**(1:59 pm) Fuck you.

 **Alex** **  
**(1:59 pm) Not before the first date, sweetheart. **  
**(3:07 pm) I just met your sister. I guess coming by unannounced is a character trait all older sisters possess.

 **Henry** **  
**(3:08 pm) Bea? Yeah, she tends to swing by whenever she’s in town. I hope she didn’t cause you too much trouble!

 **Alex** **  
**(3:08 pm) Absolutely not. We had some coffee together and she showed me some of your baby pictures. What a little lad you were. No idea where that cute face went though [thinking emoji]

 **Henry** **  
**(3:09 pm) Bloody hell. Betrayed by my own sister, such tragedy.

 **Alex** **  
**(3:15 pm) [image of Alex and Bea with David in their midst; they both grin at the camera]  
(3:15 pm) I think we would make a cute couple.

 **Henry** **  
**(3:15 pm) Hell no [middle finger emoji]

Thursday

**Alex** **  
**(2:51 am) [image of Alex in bed with his glasses on; his laptop and journals are sprawled out around him; David sleeps next to him]

 **Henry** **  
**(2:51 am) Jesus Christ, Alex. You should sleep.  
(3:52 am) And are you wearing my hoodie?

 **Alex** **  
**(2:53 am) I can’t sleep when I’m nervous.  
(3:53 am) And yes I am. I’m cold and it was the only one I could find. I’ll wash it before I leave, I promise.

 **Henry** **  
**(2:54 am) Don’t apologize, Alex. It looks good on you.  
(2:54 am) And why are you nervous? Is it something I can help you with? You can always talk to me, you know. I’m awake most nights anyway so I don’t mind the company.

 **Alex** **  
**(2:55 am) Makes two of us.  
(2:55 am) I just got the news that Hunter, my idiotic ex, is taking over the firm I work for and I’m worried he’s going to drop me so I’ve been writing applications and stuff. Being an adult is so stressful, I hate it.

 **Henry** **  
**(2:57 am) Oh shit, that sounds… not good. Let’s try to take your mind off of it, okay? You seriously should get some sleep and I don’t want you to have a mental breakdown on my new bedsheets. They were very expensive.

 **Alex** **  
**(2:58 am) So romantic.

 **Henry** **  
**(2:58 am) Me? Always.

 **Alex** **  
**(3:00 am) Let’s go then. Romance me [red heart emoji]

That night Henry tells Alex all about his job as a children’s book author, how much this job means to him, how he grew up making up his own stories and how his mother kept every single one of his drawings and short stories in a bright red box she keeps in her office. 

Henry reads him excerpts from random books he finds around Alex’s apartment and Alex does the same, plucking Shakespeare and Jane Austen and Oscar Wilde from the countless bookshelves, opening them at random pages and reading out whatever he finds there in the most dramatic way possible. 

When Alex finally does fall asleep, it’s with Henry reading him the beginning of his new short story in the background, his voice soft and warm.

 **Henry** **  
**(3:27 pm) Do you feel a little better today?

 **Alex** **  
**(3:28 pm) Yeah, a lot actually. Thank you for last night, by the way. That was really nice. I don’t think I have slept that good in a long time.

 **Henry** **  
**(3:28 pm) If you need me to read you to sleep every night, I will happily do that.

 **Alex** **  
**(3:29 pm) This is the nicest and most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me.

 **Henry** **  
**(3:31 pm) You really need to raise your standards, Alex.

 **Alex**  
(3:31 pm) How tall are you?

 **Henry** **  
**(3:33 pm) About 6ft, I think. Why?

 **Alex** **  
**(3:34 pm) Oh, just raising my standards [winking emoji]

 **Henry** **  
**(3:34 pm) You’re such a moron.

 **Alex** **  
**(3:37 pm) You just know how to make a man fall for you [red heart emoji]

 **Henry** **  
**(3:37 pm) I wish.  
(3:37 pm) I can barely order myself a coffee without messing up.

 **Alex** **  
**(3:38 pm) Hey, if you want to practice your skills, I’d be up for the job.

 **Henry** **  
**(3:38 pm) Oh.  
(3:38 pm) And why?

 **Alex** **  
**(3:40 pm) Honestly?  
(3:40 pm) You’re hot as fuck, funny and smart, the best dog dad in the world, you live in a fucking fairy cottage and drink your coffee out of clay mugs. You’re every gay man’s dream.

 **Henry** **  
**(3:41 pm) Only gay men?

 **Alex** **  
**(3:41 pm) No, not only gay men.

 **Henry** **  
**(6:11 pm) We haven’t even met but I sort of want to have you here with me?  
(6:11 pm) Or to be there with you.  
(6:11 pm) That’s probably weird. Sorry.

 **Alex** **  
**(6:15 pm) Stop! Constantly! Apologizing! For! Shit! Henry!  
(6:15 pm) I kinda wish you were here too. I know that I like fled the country to be on my own but when you suddenly are on your own, far away from home in a town you can’t even remember the name of, you feel a lot lonelier than you expected.

 **Henry** **  
**(6:16 pm) What would you do if I were there with you?

 **Alex** **  
**(6:17 pm) Are we about to sext?

 **Henry** **  
**(6:17 pm) What? No?  
(6:17 pm) I’m just asking a platonic question. It’s not my fault you have a perverted mind.

 **Alex** **  
**(6:18 pm) Well, Mr Fox. I would hug you first, I think. I feel like you’re one of those people who are super warm and smell nice? I would also just stare at you? Because I don’t think I could comprehend your handsomeness in person?  
(6:19 pm) I’m still not convinced that you are actually real, by the way.

 **Henry** **  
**(6:20 pm) [image of Henry; his hair is tousled and the light of the floor lamp to his left draws soft shadows across his face; he’s smiling shyly at the camera]

 **Alex** **  
**(6:20 pm) Oh fuuuuck.  
(6:21 pm) I want to kiss your jaw so badly. Fucking hell.  
(6:21 pm) I want to kiss your entire fucking face but especially your stupid jaw and your stupid mouth. What the fuck, Henry.

 **Henry** **  
**(6:22 pm) I’m flattered, honestly.  
(6:22 pm) And if it makes you feel any better, I very much would like to kiss you too.  
(6:22 pm) I want to kiss you until you forget everything around you, until you can only say my name and even then I won’t stop kissing you. I want to taste my name on your tongue and curl my fingers into your hair and pull you as close as I can. Would you like that?

 **Alex** **  
**(6:23 pm) Fucking hell, yeah. I’d love that.

 **Henry** **  
**(6:23 pm) Good.  
(6:23 pm) Are you touching yourself?

 **Alex** **  
**(6:24 pm) Maybe.

 **Henry** **  
**(6:24 pm) Show me.

 **Alex** **  
**(6:24 pm) [image of Alex’s lower body; his boxers are pulled down a little; his hand wrapped around his cock]

 **Henry** **  
**(6:25 pm) Fuck. Did I ever tell you how hot you are, Alex? I want to wrap my hand around you so badly, want to touch and taste you. Imagine that’s me, love. My hand wrapped around your cock and jerking you off just how you like it.  
(6:27 pm) Talk to me, Alex. How do you like to be jerked off?

 **Alex** **  
**(6:27 pm) Slowly at first, then quicker, squeezing the balls and the tip when I get closer to coming. I like to use lots of lube or oil, I like how smooth my cock feels when I do it like that.

 **Henry** **  
**(6:27 pm) There’s lube in the top drawer of my nightstand. Help yourself, love. Make yourself feel good for me.

 **Alex** **  
**(6:27 pm) Fuck.  
(6:28 pm) You calling me love like that is really doing it for me.

 **Henry** **  
**(6:28 pm) Oh yeah?

 **Alex** **  
**(6:28 pm) Yeah.  
(6:28 pm) Are you touching yourself? God, please say yes because I would feel super awkward about being the only one.

 **Henry** **  
**(6:29 pm) [image of Henry fisting his cock; the tip is red and glistening with precum]

 **Alex** **  
**(6:29 pm) Fuck.  
(6:29 pm) Fuck.  
(6:30 pm) Even your cock is gorgeous, what the fuck. Is it bad that I want to blow you? Or I want you to fuck me, both would work for me.

 **Henry** **  
**(6:30 pm) Why not both?  
(6:31 pm) I would love to see you on your hands and knees for me, would love to come in your mouth, on your stomach, inside of you. Wherever you want me.

 **Alex** **  
**(6:31 pm) I want you everywhere so that when you’re done with me, I smell like you and can only think of you for days. I want you on the sofa and in the bed, in the shower and the kitchen.  
(6:31 pm) Fucking hell.  
(6:31 pm) Henry.  
(6:31 pm) I’m close. Oh fuck, fuck fuck.

 **Henry** **  
**(6:32 pm) Come for me, Alex. You’re being so good for me, so good.

 **Alex** **  
**(6:32 pm) Henry.

 **Henry** **  
**(6:32 pm) Yes?

 **Alex** **  
**(6:32 pm) I want you.

 **Henry** **  
**(6:33 pm) Then have me, love.

 **Alex** **  
**(6:34 pm) [image of Alex; his face is flushed red and his pupils are blown wide; he’s smiling goofily at the camera]  
(6:34 pm) I think I just blacked out.

 **Henry** **  
**(6:35 pm) [image of Henry; he lays on his side and his face is equally flushed]  
(6:35 pm) I apologize for not taking you out to dinner first.

 **Alex** **  
**(6:35 pm) Fuck going out for dinner.

 **Henry** **  
**(11:09 pm) [image of Alex’s empty bed; the sheets are ruffled and the bedroom is completely dark except for the light on the nightstand]  
(11:09 pm) Wish you were here.

 **Alex** **  
**(11:09 pm) Me too.

Friday

**Alex** **  
**(11:21 am) [image of Alex’s reflection in a fogged-up mirror; he wears nothing but a towel around his waist]  
(11:21 am) Does this count as a thirst trap?

 **Henry**  
(2:58 pm) [image of Henry’s shirtless reflection in Alex’s bathroom mirror]

 **Alex** **  
**(3:00 pm) Show-off.

 **Henry** **  
**(3:01 pm) You started it.

 **Alex** **  
**(3:01 pm) Fuck you [middle finger emoji]

 **Henry** **  
**(3:02 pm) [kissing emoji]

 **Alex** **  
**(7:52 pm) [image of Alex sitting at the kitchen table; in front of him a plate filled with rice and vegetables]  
(7:52 pm) Henry, look! I’m adulting.

 **Henry** **  
**(7:53 pm) I couldn’t be more proud of you.  
(7:53 pm) [image of Henry sitting on the sofa with Ruth; he wears reading glasses and holds a steaming cup of tea in his free hand]  
(7:53 pm) Ruth is helping me write my new book.

 **Alex**  
(7:45 pm) I hope you pay her well and give her credits once it’s published. I won’t accept my cat being exploited by some white dude.

 **Henry**  
(7:45 pm) I already feed her and clean her litter box, isn’t that enough?

 **Alex** **  
**(7:47 pm) Henry Fox, you’re a cruel man.  
(7:47 pm) Would you mind FaceTiming me? I’d love to say hi to Ruth.

 **Henry** **  
**(7:49 pm) Sure, just give me a moment.

Alex feels giddy all of a sudden. He’s not sure if it’s his body reacting to actually being fed proper nutrients, or if it’s because he’s about to see Henry as face to face as possible in their current situation. He nervously taps his fork against a piece of broccoli and stares down at his phone, chewing on his lower lip as he waits for Henry to call him.

 _Jesus Christ_ , Alex thinks, _he saw your cock. No need to get nervous now._

Henry’s face pops up on the screen. Alex takes a moment just to look at him. Henry’s blonde hair is tousled, faint freckles across his nose and cheeks like stars, his eyes are bright and blue. He smiles, all pearly white teeth and pink lips. 

“Hello, Alexander,” Henry greets him, moving the phone a little until Ruth comes into view.

Alex swallows at the sound of his name in Henry’s accent. Up to this point, Alex wasn’t aware that a British accent could be hot but Henry was proving him otherwise. “Hey,” he manages to croak. 

At the sound of his voice, Ruth lifts her head and looks at him. She stretches and taps over to the phone screen, bumping her nose against it. “Hey to you too,” Alex whispers softly and chuckles. 

He abandons his plate when Henry picks the phone back up and walks over to where David is snoring by the fireplace. “David, your dad wants to talk to you.” Alex sits down beside David and places his phone in front of him.

Alex continues to lay on the floor with David and talk to Henry for a good hour before he hangs up and takes David on a walk. The air is cold and the crisp wind makes Alex shiver, but he doesn’t feel cold when he thinks about Henry’s smile and kind eyes.

Is that what falling in love feels like?

Saturday

**Henry** **  
**(2:44 pm) [image of a cup; it says #1 Dad on the font]  
(2:44 pm) Anything you want to tell me?

 **Alex** **  
**(2:45 pm) [laughing emoji]  
(2:45 pm) My sister and I got this for our dad but it somehow keeps ending up at my apartment so I just decided to keep it.

 **Henry** **  
**(4:16 pm) [image of Henry wearing glasses and holding up the #1 Dad cup]  
(4:16 pm) Whoever decided to schedule a meeting the day before Christmas should be fired.  
(4:16 pm) It’s me. I scheduled the meeting.

 **Alex** **  
**(4:17 pm) [image of Alex’s laptop on the coffee table surrounded by loose pieces of paper and pens]  
(4:17 pm) I feel you. Though it’s just me talking to myself and trying to explain being a lawyer to David.  
(4:18 pm) [image of David sleeping on the sofa]  
(4:18 pm) I don’t think he’s listening though.

 **Henry** **  
**(6:01 pm) [image of a bagel and a to-go cup]  
(6:01 pm) I have obtained freedom and food. I’ll honestly miss New York the most for its food when I’m back in England.

 **Alex** **  
**(6:02 pm) No surprise there, English food sucks ass.

 **Henry** **  
**(6:02 pm) Well, they do say you are what you eat so I’m not even going to argue with you on that one.

 **Alex** **  
**(6:04 pm) That was unexpected.

Sunday

**Henry** **  
**(12:42 am) Do you have any plans for Christmas?

 **Alex** **  
**(12:42 am) Not really. Maybe call my family but that’s about it. Why?

 **Henry** **  
**(12:42 am) I was just wondering if you’d like to celebrate… with me? We could eat dinner together over FaceTime or maybe watch a film together. Only if you want, of course.

 **Alex** **  
**(12:42 am) Like a date?

 **Henry** **  
**(12:42 am) Yes, like a date.

 **Alex**  
(12:43 am) I’d honestly love that.

 **Henry** **  
**(12:43 am) Oh, great. Talk to you tomorrow then?

 **Alex** **  
**(12:43 am) Yeah. Talk to you tomorrow [red heart emoji]

 **Henry** **  
**(12:45 am) Oh, and Alex?

 **Alex** **  
**(12:45 am) Yeah?

 **Henry** **  
**(12:45 am) You should try to get some sleep.

 **Alex** **  
**(12:46 am) Sure, mom.

 **Henry** **  
**(1:46 pm) Is there a dress code for our date?

 **Alex** **  
**(1:47 pm) You could show up naked and I would be okay with that.

 **Henry** **  
**(1:147 pm) Good lord.

 **Alex**  
(2:30 pm) [image of Alex and David; they are wearing matching dog collars; Alex is grinning at the camera]  
(2:30 pm) We’re matching!

 **Henry** **  
**(2:31 pm) What in god’s name are you wearing?

 **Alex** **  
**(2:31 pm) A dog collar! I bought David one as a gift and decided to try one on myself. You don’t like it [sad emoji]

 **Henry** **  
**(2:31 pm) No, not exactly.  
(2:31 pm) You should keep it. I like how it looks on you.

 **Alex** **  
**(2:32 pm) Oh [blushing emoji]

 **Henry** **  
**(5:58 pm) [image of Henry wearing a dress shirt and a light blue tie]  
(5:58 pm) Ready for our date.

 **Alex** **  
**(5:59 pm) You look so good and I hate it.

 **Henry** **  
**(6:00 pm) You do?

 **Alex** **  
**(6:00 pm) Ugh, Henry. Of course I don’t hate it. You look hot as fuck and I’m not even sad about you not being naked. And I think that tells you everything you need to know.

 **Henry** **  
**(6:00 pm) Thanks?

Alex fixes his hair one last time before he goes to the living room and sets his phone down on the coffee table, propping it up against a stack of books. Next to it, Alex places down a tray filled with different types of food and a bottle of beer. He sits down and calls Henry.

It doesn’t take long for Henry to pick up and Alex just feels all the air leaving his lungs at the sight of him. He looks good, so much better than any picture could capture.

“You look great,” Alex says, leaning forward a little to get closer to the screen of his phone.

Henry smiles at him. “You look quite good yourself. I like your hair.”

They talk about Henry’s newest book idea, Alex’s job, their future plans, stupid things they collected when they were kids (Henry: smurf figurines; Alex: candle stubs), their families, growing up queer, places they would like to visit one day, what they miss most about their respective places (Henry: David; Alex: his bathtub), their favourite Star Wars movie (Henry: Return of the Jedi; Alex: The Empire Strikes Back).

Alex can’t believe how comfortable he feels around Henry. He feels as if he could tell the other anything that comes to his mind, feels as if they have known each other for all their lives.

“You know,” Henry takes a sip from his wine, “I quite like the sight of you in my bed.”

Alex, pleasantly drunk himself, chuckles and rolls onto his side. He doesn’t even really remember making his way up to the bedroom. “Yeah?”

Henry nods. He too is laying in bed, propped up against a pillow with the phone resting against the lamp on the nightstand. He has taken off his tie and the first two sets of buttons on his shirt are undone, exposing the smooth skin underneath. Alex wants to press a kiss there.

“It’s such a shame you took off your tie,” Alex slurs with a loop-sided grin. “Though I wouldn’t mind you tying me up with it. Your bed has just the right headboard for it. To prove his point, Alex reaches back and curls his hand around the cold metal of Henry’s bedpost.

Henry gulps and Alex watches him shift a little. “I’d love to tie you up, Alex. Would love to keep you in place as I begin to slowly undress you. I would take my time with you, of course. Kiss you and taste you, leave small marks down your body.”

Alex feels himself growing hard at Henry’s words but he doesn’t dare to move to unbutton his pants. His eyes are fixed on Henry’s lips as he speaks. He can feel his pulse thrumming under his skin when Henry’s eyes meet his.

“Go ahead, touch yourself,” Henry encourages him and he watches with hungry eyes as Alex lowers one hand and pops open the button on his jeans. He pushes them down to the middle of his thigh and tugs his boxers down just enough to free his half-hard cock.

Alex readjusts his phone a little to give Henry a better view and then slowly curls his fingers around his shaft. The first touch is electrifying, sending sparks running up and down his spine. Alex tries to bite back the moan that is building in the back of his throat but fails miserably.

“Don’t hold back,” Henry says, his voice sticky sweet like caramel. “I want to hear you.”

Alex bits his lips and lets out a surrendering whimper, slowly moving his hand up and down his shaft. 

“Oh, Alex,” Henry murmurs. “You look so good.” Henry too is jerking himself off. His hands are large, elegant fingers curled around the thick shaft of his cock and Alex wishes it was his hand instead.

Alex doesn’t even know what to say so he just shuts his eyes for a moment and imagines Henry here with him. Imagines what it would feel like, what it would be like to be touched and kissed by Henry. He wants to be stripped bare and loved by Henry more than he wants to breathe. His need for self-preservation is worryingly low.

“Stay with me here, love.” Henry’s voice pulls him back into reality. 

Alex watches as Henry swipes his thumb across the tip of his cock, collecting precum and spreading it down his shaft. His eyes are dark and he has undone another set of buttons of his dress shirt. Alex hasn’t even noticed Henry undoing them.

“You’re so good for me, Alex. I want you to come for me, can you do that?”

Alex bites his lips and nods, forcing his eyes to stay open because he doesn’t want to miss the growing concentration on Henry’s face, the crease between his furrowed eyebrows, the glistening in his blue eyes.

And when Alex does come, his entire body tenses until the knot in his stomach snaps and he comes all over his shirt and fist, white spots dancing in and out of his vision.

Henry is reaching his climax shortly after. His face relaxes and his eyes flutter shut, a soft chuckle slipping from his lips followed by a quiet moan and a strangled " _Alex_ ".

And fuck. Alex might actually be in love.

Monday

**Alex** **  
**(11:23 am) My head hurts.  
(11:23 am) I think I had too much to drink. But I don’t even remember what I was drinking.  
(11:23 am) [image of Alex in bed; his curls are tousled and there’s drool drying on his cheek]

 **Henry** **  
**(1:40 pm) You have never looked better.

 **Alex** **  
**(1:42 pm) I don’t know if I should be flattered or offended.  
(1:42 pm) Good morning, by the way. Did you sleep well?

 **Henry** **  
**(1:45 pm) I think I did? I’m pretty sure I just straight-up passed out after the call ended and just woke up because Ruth was demanding food.  
(1:45 pm) [image of Ruth eating]

 **Alex** **  
**(1:46 pm) I have been there before. She can be pretty ruthless when she’s hungry.  
(8:55 pm) Pop quiz. How many editions of Pride and Prejudice do you own?

 **Henry** **  
**(9:00 pm) I don’t know? Like 5?

 **Alex** **  
**(9:01 pm) Wrong.  
(9:01 pm) 12 editions, Henry. 12!

 **Henry** **  
**(9:02 pm) And?

 **Alex** **  
**(9:02 pm) That’s 11 too much.

 **Henry** **  
**(9:04 pm) You have no idea of how wrong you are.

Tuesday

**Alex** **  
**(10:15 am) Any plans for your last day in the greatest city in the world?

 **Henry** **  
**(1:21 pm) Not really. I wanted to stop by that small indie bookstore down the road and maybe get a bagel and pick up souvenirs for my family.  
(1:21 pm) Bea collects fridge magnets so I’ll try to find her one.

 **Alex** **  
**(1:22 pm) Bagels are a good choice. God, what would I give to get a fresh bagel right about now? It’s been too long since I had one and the ones I found at the grocery store the other day just don’t compare.

 **Henry** **  
**(1:23 pm) Yeah, don’t eat those. They are pretty nasty.  
(3:51 pm) [image of two different fridge magnets]  
(3:51 pm) Which one should I get?

 **Alex** **  
**(3:52 pm) The one on the left. The right one is boring.

 **Henry** **  
**(3:52 pm) Thanks, Alex.  
(4:04 pm) [image of Henry biting into a bagel; the street around him is busy]

 **Alex** **  
**(4:05 pm) I’ve never wanted to be a bagel so badly.

 **Henry** **  
**(4:05 pm) Kinky.

 **Alex** **  
**(4:05 pm) [middle finger emoji]  
(4:05 pm) You like it.

 **Henry** **  
**(4:09 pm) Maybe.

Wednesday

**Alex** **  
**(12:01 am) [image of David sitting in Alex’s suitcase]  
(12:01 am) I think he doesn’t want me to go.  
(12:01 am) Henry, I think I need to steal your dog. I’ll take good care of him, I promise.

 **Henry** **  
**(12:05 am) No, Alex. You cannot take my dog with you.

 **Alex** **  
**(12:06 am) You’re mean [pleading emoji]

 **Henry** **  
**(2:12 am) Is it bad that I want you there when I get home?

 **Alex** **  
**(2:12 am) No, not at all.  
(2:12 am) Do you want me to be there?

 **Henry** **  
**(2:13 am) More than anything.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A sweet little epilogue-esque chapter to wrap it all up. Thank you all so so much for reading 🧡

Alex is nervous. He’s relentlessly pacing around the room, fidgeting with his shirt and ruffling a hand through his hair in hopes of making it look somewhat good. Henry could show up any moment and the anticipation makes Alex’s stomach drop.

What if Henry is nothing like he expects him to be?

Will it be awkward?

What should he say or do?

Hug him?

Kiss him?

Wait for Henry to initiate something?

Alex hears the doors of a car slamming shut, shoes drumming against the cobblestone pathway up to the door, the rattle of a key, the lock of the front door being opened and then, after what feels like an eternity, the door swings open.

Seeing Henry, truly seeing Henry knocks all the air out of Alex’s lungs. He feels like the lead in a romantic movie, the world suddenly holding still as the main couple meets for the first time. There’s a soft pull in his chest that makes his entire body heat up.

“Alexander,” Henry says, his voice soft and warm as ever. He opens his arms, all tousled blonde hair, bright blue eyes, rosy cheeks from the cold. He wears dark blue jeans and a puffy winter coat

Alex hasn’t even processed that Henry is actually standing in front of him when his legs are already taking one, two steps forward. His body collides with Henry’s and Alex wraps his arms around him, pressing his nose against his scarf-covered neck. Henry is warm and smells faintly of coffee and sugar. And it feels right to hug him, so fucking right that Alex never wants to let go.

Henry brings his arms around Alex’s body and pulls him closer, nuzzling his nose into Alex’s curls. “I have spent the entire flight thinking about this,” Henry whispers. “I can’t believe you’re actually… here.”

“Neither can I,” Alex says quietly and lifts his head, taking in the blue of Henry’s eyes, the curl of his lashes, the straight line of his nose. His heart jumps inside his chest when he leans up, pressing a kiss to Henry’s soft lips. 

“Dear Thisbe,” he whispers.

“I wish there weren’t a wall,” Henry finishes, his large warm hand cupping Alex’s cheek, smoothing his thumb across his cheekbone. “No more wall, just you and me, love.”

And when Henry leans down to kiss him again, Alex thinks that maybe the holidays aren’t too bad after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Comments and kudos are as always very much appreciated 🧡
> 
> Come and join the [RWRB discord server](https://discord.gg/DVqeKTtxqK) (open to anyone)!


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